Image display using flash reach information

ABSTRACT

An apparatus includes a display control section configured to control display of image data for an image, the image data including flash reach information identifying at least one portion of the image corresponding to at least one region reached by light from a flash. Also described are a method and computer-readable storage medium for controlling display of image data for the image.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a photographing apparatus, a displaycontrol method, and a program, and particularly, to a photographingapparatus, a display control method, and a program which are capable ofeasily displaying a reach region of a flash light.

BACKGROUND

Many devices, having a photographing function, such as digital camerasor cellular phones sold in recent years have been provided with a flash(flash light) photographing mode. When flash photographing is performedusing such devices in a dark environment such as dusk or night, subjectslocated at a relatively short distance which the flash light reaches arephotographed at an adequate luminance or brightly, and subjects whichthe flash light does not reach are darkly photographed. Normally,adjustment of exposure at the time of photographing is performed on thebasis of the luminance of the subject located at a short distance.

The luminance of a distant background and the like is darker than thatof a near subject when viewed on a through-the-lens image. For thisreason, when photographing is performed with intent to capture theatmosphere of the background viewed on a through-the-lens image, animage having a darkened background is often photographed.

Consequently, techniques for intuitively transmitting the ranges whichthe flash light reaches to users before taking a photograph areproposed. For example, JP-A-10-333235 discloses a technique fordisplaying a region of a subject located at a distance which the flashlight is able to reach, when flash photographing is performed.

SUMMARY

In the technique disclosed in JP-A-10-333235, it is necessary topre-emit a flash before main photographing, and the time for rechargingthe power consumed by the pre-emission or the like takes an intervalbefore the main photographing.

Thus, it is desirable to easily display a reach region of a flash light.

Some embodiments relate to an apparatus that includes a display controlsection configured to control display of image data for an image. Theimage data includes flash reach information identifying at least oneportion of the image corresponding to at least one region reached bylight from a flash.

Some embodiments relate to a method that includes controlling display ofimage data for an image. The image data includes flash reach informationidentifying at least one portion of the image corresponding to at leastone region reached by light from a flash.

Some embodiments relate to a computer-readable storage medium comprisinginstructions, which, when executed by a processor, perform a method thatincludes controlling display of image data for an image. The image dataincludes flash reach information identifying at least one portion of theimage corresponding to at least one region reached by light from aflash.

According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possibleto easily display a region which flash light reaches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the front appearance of aphotographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the rear appearance ofthe photographing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the photographing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an imagingdevice.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configurationexample of the photographing apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process operation of thephotographing apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a principle of a method calculating adistance up to a subject.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a flash information acquisitionprocess performed in step S2 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a photographing mode selectionprocess performed in step S3 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating a flash reach region displayprocess performed in step S8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the reach distance of flashlight.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display of an LCD.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the front appearance ofa single-lens reflex type photographing apparatus.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of the rear appearance ofthe single-lens reflex type photographing apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the photographingapparatus.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of the electricalconfiguration of the photographing apparatus.

FIG. 17 is another longitudinal cross-sectional view of thephotographing apparatus.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating an example of the electricalconfiguration of the photographing apparatus of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION First Embodiment

[External Configuration of Photographing Apparatus]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the front appearance of aphotographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

A photographing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1 is a compact-type digital stillcamera. A lens 21 is provided at a position on the central right side ofa front 11A of a camera body 11, and a flash 22 which is a built-inflash is provided at the upper left of the lens 21.

The lens 21 includes a lens group composed of a plurality of lensesserially disposed along the optical axis. A focus lens for an adjustmentof the focus and a zoom lens for a change in the magnification areincluded in the lens group constituting the lens 21, and each of thelenses is driven in the direction of the optical axis, so that thechange in the magnification or the adjustment of the focus is performed.The lens 21 captures light (light image) from a subject, and leads thelight to an imaging device disposed in the inside of the camera body 11.

A shutter button 23 is provided on the upper surface of the camera body11. The shutter button 23 is a switch that can be halfway pressed so asto be in the “half-pressed state” and can be further pressed so as to bein the “fully-pressed state”. When the shutter button 23 is half pressedin the still image photographing mode, a preparatory operation forphotographing a still image is executed. When the shutter button isfully pressed in this state, a photographing operation is executed. Thepreparatory operation includes operations such as focus detection orsetting of photographing parameters which are exposure control valuessuch as a shutter speed, an aperture value, and an ISO speed. Inaddition, the photographing operation includes a series of operations ofperforming predetermined image processing on an image signal obtained byexposing the imaging device and recording image data in a storage mediumsuch as a memory card (i.e., a tangible, non-transitory storage medium).

A main switch (not shown) of a push switch is also provided on the uppersurface of the camera body 11, and switches on/off of a power source ofthe photographing apparatus 1 whenever pushed down.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the rear appearance ofthe photographing apparatus 1.

An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 24 on a touch panel is superimposed isprovided at a rear 11B of the photographing apparatus 1. A settingsscreen on which various types of buttons line up is displayed on the LCD24, in addition to a through-the-lens image or a recorded image which isan image of a field (photographing range) captured. The settings screendisplayed on the LCD 24 is used in setting, for example, functions ormodes provided in the photographing apparatus 1. Another display such asan organic EL display may be provided in place of the LCD 24.

In the photographing apparatus 1 having such an external configuration,when a still image is photographed by emitting the flash 22, informationindicating a flash reach region which is a region of a subject (object)which the flash light reaches is displayed before photographing, forexample, superimposed on the through-the-lens image. The determinationof which region is a flash reach region is performed on the basis of thedistance up to each subject included in the field, the emission amountof the flash 22, and the like.

That is, in the photographing apparatus 1, the determination of theflash reach region is performed without pre-emission. Thereby, since itis not necessary to perform a recharge and the like of the flash 22after pre-emission, the information indicating the flash reach regioncan be easily displayed as compared to the performing of pre-emission. Aseries of processes of displaying the information indicating the flashreach region will be described later in detail.

[Internal Configuration of Photographing Apparatus]

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the internalconfiguration of the photographing apparatus 1. The same signs andnumerals are assigned to the same components as those shown in FIGS. 1and 2 of the components shown in FIG. 3.

A CPU 31 executes a program stored in an EEPROM 34 in a RAM 33, andcontrols the entire operation of the photographing apparatus 1 inaccordance with the contents of a user's operation indicated byinformation supplied from an operation section 32. The RAM (RandomAccess Memory) 33, the EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and ProgrammableRead Only Memory) 34, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) I/F 35 are connectedto the CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 through a bus. An imaging device36, a preprocessing section 37, and a camera DSP (Digital SignalProcessor) section 38 are also connected to the bus.

The operation section 32 detects a user's operation regarding varioustypes of input sections such as the shutter button 23 and the touchpanel of the LCD 24, and outputs information indicating the contents ofthe user's operation to the CPU 31.

The USB I/F 35 is an interface corresponding to a USB storage class. TheUSB I/F 35 transmits and receives data to and from external devices suchas a personal computer connected through a USB cable.

The imaging device 36 is a solid-state imaging device such as a CMOS(Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor. The imaging device 36is disposed on the XY plane which is a plane perpendicular to the Z-axisof FIGS. 1 and 2. The imaging device 36 performs photoelectricconversion of light captured by the lens 21, and outputs an imagesignal. In addition, the imaging device 36 also functions as a phasedifference sensor, and outputs a phase difference signal indicating thephase difference of light from each subject included in the field.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of the imagingdevice 36.

The imaging device 36 receives light transmitted through the portionhaving a different exit pupil, thereby allowing the phase difference oflight from the subject to be detected. As shown in FIG. 4, the imagingdevice 36 is basically composed of each pixel of RGB and pixelsconstituting a pixel pair 114 f.

An R pixel 111, a G pixel 112, and a B pixel 113 are, respectively,normal pixels in which color filters of R (red), G (green) and B (blue)are arranged between a microlens ML, shown by a dashed circle,functioning as a condensing lens and a photodiode. Hereinafter,appropriately, the R pixel 111, the G pixel 112, and the B pixel 113 arecollectively called a normal pixel 110. In the imaging device 36, imageinformation is acquired by the normal pixel 110 having a larger numberof pixels than the number of pixels constituting the pixel pair 114 f.

A line L1 in which the G pixel 112 and the R pixel 111 are alternatelydisposed and a line L2 in which the B pixel 113 and the G pixel 112 arealternately disposed are formed in the imaging device 36, as a normalpixel line Ln which is a line of the normal pixel 110 in the horizontaldirection. The line L1 and the line L2 are alternately disposed in thevertical direction, and thus a Bayer array of the normal pixels 110having a ratio of RGB of 1:2:1 is realized.

On the other hand, the pixel pair 114 f is composed of a pixel 114 a anda pixel 114 b which are pixels disposed across the optical axis of themicrolens ML in order to receive a light flux from the left portion ofan exit pupil of the lens 21 and a light flux from the right portionthereof by separation (pupil split) from each other. The photodiodesprovided in the pixel 114 a and the pixel 114 b have the same size asthat of the photodiode of the normal pixel 110, and are disposedadjacent to the horizontal direction at the same pitch as that of thenormal pixel 110. In the imaging device 36, the pixel pairs 114 f arearranged in the horizontal direction, so that pixel pair lines Lf areperiodically formed in the vertical direction.

In this manner, in the imaging device 36, the pixel pairs 114 f having apupil splitting function are periodically disposed in the entire imagingdevice 36. It is possible to detect the phase difference of light fromeach subject included in the entire field, on the basis of a lightreception data series obtained in the pixel 114 a of each position and alight reception data series obtained in the pixel 114 b of eachposition. In addition, it is possible to calculate the distance up toeach subject, on the basis of the detected phase difference. Such animaging device which is composed of the normal pixels and the phasedifference pixel (pixels 114 a and 114 b) for detecting the phasedifference by pupil-splitting subject light and has a function ofdetecting the phase difference on the device is disclosed in, forexample, JP-A-2010-169709.

A phase difference detection sensor is provided separately from theimaging device 36 without detecting the phase difference of light fromeach subject included in the field on the imaging device 36, and thusthe phase difference of light from each subject may be detected in thephase difference detection sensor.

The image signal obtained by the normal pixel of the imaging device 36is supplied to the preprocessing section 37. In addition, the phasedifference signal obtained by the phase difference pixel of the imagingdevice 36 is supplied to the CPU 31 as phase difference informationafter A/D conversion and the like thereof is performed in a circuitwhich is not shown.

The preprocessing section 37 is composed of a CDS/AGC/ADC section 51, atiming generator (TG) 52, and a V driver 53.

The CDS/AGC/ADC section 51 has a CDS (Correlated Double Sampling)function, an AGC (Automatic Gain Control) function, and an ADC (Analogto Digital Converter) function. That is, the CDS/AGC/ADC section 51performs correlation double sampling of the image signal supplied fromthe imaging device 36, and generates, for example, a primary color-basedcolor signal. In addition, the CDS/AGC/ADC section 51 corrects thesignal level of the color signal through the automatic acquisitioncontrol and then performs A/D conversion, and outputs image dataobtained by the A/D conversion to the camera DSP section 38.

The TG 52 generates various types of timing signals serving as a drivereference of the imaging device 36, and outputs the timing signals tothe V driver 53.

The V driver 53 drives the imaging device 36 in accordance with thetiming signal supplied from the TG 52.

The camera DSP section 38 is composed of a flash control section 61, acamera signal processing section 62, a resolution conversion section 63,an image codec 64, a lens control section 65, a memory control section66, a display processing section 67, a media control section 68, and aBIU 69 which are connected to one another through a bus. The camera DSPsection 38 switches an operation in accordance with the control by theCPU 31, and performs recording/reproduction processing on image datasupplied from the preprocessing section 37. A memory 39 is a workingmemory in each section located within the camera DSP section 38, andwriting of data to the memory 39 and readout of data from the memory 39are controlled by the memory control section 66.

When photographing with flash light is instructed, the flash controlsection 61 emits the flash 22 in time with the photographing timing ofthe imaging device 36. The emission amount of the flash 22 is alsoappropriately adjusted by the flash control section 61.

The camera signal processing section 62 performs various types of signalprocessing, such as white balance adjustment processing and gammacorrection processing, on image data supplied from the preprocessingsection 37, and outputs the image data obtained by performing the signalprocessing to the resolution conversion section 63. In addition, thecamera signal processing section 62 outputs the image data obtained byperforming the signal processing to the memory control section 66, andstores the image data to the memory 39. The camera signal processingsection 62 detects information necessary for correction of an aperturevalue and adjustment of an automatic focus from the image data, and alsooutputs the detected information to the lens control section 65.

The resolution conversion section 63 performs resolution conversion onthe image data supplied from the camera signal processing section 62,and outputs the image data after the resolution conversion to thedisplay processing section 67. For example, when the photographingresult by the imaging device 36 is displayed on the LCD 24 on athrough-the-lens image, the resolution conversion section 63 performsthe resolution conversion of the image of the photographing result inaccordance with the resolution of the LCD 24. In addition, theresolution conversion section 63 performs resolution conversion when theresolution of the image recorded in a storage medium 40 is instructed bya user, or processing of cutting out a region of a portion of thephotographing result to convert the resolution when a digital zoom or areproduction zoom is instructed, and the like.

The image codec 64 compresses and outputs image data which are outputfrom the camera signal processing section 62 and are stored in thememory 39. The compressed image data are supplied to, for example, themedia control section 68, and are stored in the storage medium 40. Inaddition, when reproduction of the recorded image is instructed and thecompressed image data read out from the storage medium 40 are suppliedfrom the media control section 68, the image codec 64 extends andoutputs the recorded image. The extended image data are supplied to, forexample, the display processing section 67, and are displayed on the LCD24. In a type of compression and extension of data, a type of JPEG(Joint Photographic Coding Experts Group) and the like are used withrespect to a still image. In addition, a type of a motion vector such asISO/IEC JTC1/SC29WG11 MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group) 1, MPEG2,MPEG4, ITU-T H.263, and H.264/MPEG4-AVC (Advanced Video Coding) is usedwith respect to a motion picture.

The lens control section 65 controls the aperture of the lens 21 inaccordance with information supplied from the camera signal processingsection 62. In addition, the lens control section 65 controls the focusof the lens 21 by a so-called hill-climbing method. The lens controlsection 65 also performs adjustment and the like on the zoom of the lens21 in accordance with the control by the CPU 31.

The display processing section 67 displays the through-the-lens image inwhich the resolution conversion is performed by the resolutionconversion section 63 or the recorded image extended by the image codec64, on the LCD 24. In addition, the display processing section 67displays various types of setting screens or information indicating theflash reach region on the LCD 24 in accordance with the control by theCPU 31.

The media control section 68 controls recording of data in the storagemedium 40 and readout of data from the storage medium 40. The storagemedium 40 is, for example, a memory card having a semiconductor memorytherein. Various storage mediums such as a hard disk can also be used inplace of the memory card. For example, when the image data are recorded,the media control section 68 records the image data compressed by theimage codec 64 in the storage medium 40. In addition, when the imagedata is reproduced, the media control section 68 reads out the imagedata recorded in the storage medium 40, and outputs the image data tothe image codec 64.

The BIU (Bus Interface Unit) 69 is an interface between the CPU 31 andeach section of the camera DSP section 38, and controls input and outputor the like of commands from the CPU 31 regarding the control of eachsection of the camera DSP section 38.

In the photographing apparatus 1 having such an internal configuration,for example, when photographing instructions are detected on the basisof a signal from the operation section 32, the CPU 31 controls thepreprocessing section 37 to sequentially perform processing on thephotographing result of a motion picture by the imaging device 36. Inaddition, the CPU 31 controls the camera signal processing section 62within the camera DSP section 38 to perform the signal processing forthe processing result by the preprocessing section 37 and sequentiallystore the resultant in the memory 39 through the memory control section66. The CPU 31 controls the resolution conversion section 63 to performthe resolution conversion of the image data which are a photographingresult sequentially stored in the memory 39, and controls the displayprocessing section 67 to display an image on the basis of the image dataafter the resolution conversion. In this manner, the CPU 31 displays amonitor image of the photographing result on the LCD 24, while recordingthe photographing result of the motion picture in the memory 39.

In addition, when the photographing of the still image is instructed bya user in this state, the CPU 31 stops storage of the image data outputfrom the camera signal processing section 62 in the memory 39. The CPU31 supplies image data, to the resolution conversion section 63, whichare captured by the imaging device 36 when the photographing of thestill image is instructed and are stored in the memory 39 through thepreprocessing section 37 and the camera DSP section 38, and controls theresolution conversion section to convert the image data into image dataof the resolution instructed by a user. In addition, the CPU 31 controlsthe image codec 64 to compress the image data obtained by the resolutionconversion, and then stores the image data in the storage medium 40. Insuch a series of processing, the CPU 31 instructs the resolutionconversion section 63 to create a thumbnail image and create a thumbnailimage for an index. The CPU 31 stores the created thumbnail image in thestorage medium 40 as an image for an index of the photographing result.

On the other hand, when the photographing start of the motion picture isinstructed by a user, the CPU 31 stops storage of the image data outputfrom the camera signal processing section 62 in the memory 39. The CPU31 controls the resolution conversion section 63 to start the resolutionconversion of the image data output from the camera signal processingsection 62, and controls the image codec 64 to start compression of theimage data obtained by the resolution conversion. In addition, the CPU31 controls the media control section 68 to store the image datacompressed by the image codec 64 in the storage medium 40. In such aseries of processing, the CPU 31 also instructs the resolutionconversion section 63 to create a thumbnail image for leading one frameat the time of recording start, and creates a thumbnail image for anindex. The CPU 31 stores the created thumbnail image in the storagemedium 40 as an image for an index of the photographing result.

[Functional Configuration of Photographing Apparatus]

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configurationexample of the photographing apparatus 1. At least a portion of thefunction sections shown in FIG. 5 is realized by execution of apredetermined program by the CPU 31.

In the photographing apparatus 1, a distance calculation section 121, aflash information acquisition section 122, and a display control section123 are realized.

The distance calculation section 121 calculates the distance up to eachsubject included in the entire field, on the basis of phase differenceinformation supplied from the imaging device 36. The distancecalculation section 121 outputs information indicating the distance upto each subject calculated by an arithmetic operation to the displaycontrol section 123.

The flash information acquisition section 122 acquires a guide number(maximum emission amount) of the flash 22, and outputs the guide numberto the display control section 123 as flash information. Information ofthe guide number of the flash 22 is stored in, for example, the EEPROM34. In addition, when the flash used at the time of photographing is anexternal flash connected to a connection terminal (not shown) for theexternal flash, the flash information acquisition section 122 acquires aguide number from the external flash through the flash control section61.

The display control section 123 calculates the reach distance of theflash light on the basis of flash information supplied from the flashinformation acquisition section 122, the ISO speed and the aperturevalue set as photographing parameters. The term “the reach distance ofthe flash light” herein means the distance which the flash light is ableto reach with an amount of light, at which a photograph can be takenthrough a correct exposure, specified on the basis of the photographingparameters such as the ISO speed and the aperture value. The ISO speedand the aperture value may be set by the CPU 31 in accordance with thephotographing mode, and may be manually set by a user.

The display control section 123 compares the reach distance of the flashlight and the distance up to the subject calculated by the distancecalculation section 121, and determines whether the flash light reacheseach subject. It is determined which the flash light reaches the subjectwhen it is located closer than the reach distance of the flash light.The display control section 123 controls the display processing section67 to display information indicative of the flash reach region on aregion of the subject, in which it is determined which the flash lightreaches, of the respective regions of the through-the-lens image.

[Operation of Photographing Apparatus]

Here, reference will be made to a flow diagram of FIG. 6 to describe aprocessing operation of the photographing apparatus 1 displaying theflash reach region. The processing operation starts when a user turns onthe power source of the photographing apparatus 1 to run thephotographing apparatus 1.

In step S1, the CPU 31 controls the preprocessing section 37 and thecamera DSP section 38 to display an image captured by the imaging device36 on the LCD 24 as a through-the-lens image. In the imaging device 36,the photoelectric conversion of light captured by the lens 21 isperformed, and various types of processing are performed on the imagesignal obtained by the photoelectric conversion in the preprocessingsection 37. Image data obtained by performing various types ofprocessing are supplied to the display processing section 67 through thecamera signal processing section 62, and the through-the-lens image isdisplayed on the LCD 24. In addition, phase difference informationindicating the phase difference detected by the imaging device 36 byperforming the photoelectric conversion is supplied to the CPU 31(distance calculation section 121).

In step S2, the flash information acquisition section 122 performs aflash information acquisition process. The guide number of the flashused in the flash photographing is acquired through the flashinformation acquisition process. The flash information acquisitionprocess will be described later with reference to a flow diagram of FIG.8.

In step S3, the CPU 31 performs a photographing mode selection process.A determination method of the photographing parameters and the like areset in accordance with the photographing mode selected by a user,through the photographing mode selection process. The photographing modeselection process will be described later with reference to a flowdiagram of FIG. 9.

In step S4, the CPU 31 designates an AF (Auto Focus) region in thecamera signal processing section 62. In the camera signal processingsection 62, information necessary for adjustment of the focus isdetected from image information of the AF region designated by the CPU31, and the focus of the lens 21 is adjusted by the lens control section65 in accordance with the detected information. For example, when a userdesignates the AF region in correspondence with the composition that theuser desires to photograph, the AF region is set in accordance with thedesignation by the user. When the auto mode is selected as aphotographing mode, the AF region is automatically determined by the CPU31.

In step S5, the imaging device 36 performs photometry of the field. TheCPU 31 appropriately determines the photographing parameters such as theshutter speed, the aperture value, the ISO speed, and the use or disuseof flash emission, on the basis of the selected photographing mode andthe photometric result of the imaging device 36, and causesphotographing to be performed using the determined photographingparameters.

In step S6, the CPU 31 determines whether the flash 22 is emitted at thetime of photographing to take a photograph, that is, whether flashemission is used. For example, when the emission of the flash 22 isinstructed by a user, or when the auto mode is set as a photographingmode and the luminance of the field obtained as a photometric result isdarker than the threshold, it is determined that the flash emission isused.

When it is determined in step S6 that the flash emission is used, instep S7, the distance calculation section 121 calculates the distance upto each subject included in the field by an arithmetic operation. Thedistance calculation section 121 stores information of the distancecalculated by the arithmetic operation in the RAM 33. The arithmeticoperation of the distance in the distance calculation section 121 isrepeatedly performed, and the distance information within the RAM 33 isupdated at any time. The display control section 123 reads out thedistance information stored in the RAM 33, and acquires the distance upto the subject calculated by the distance calculation section 121.

A principle of a method of calculating the distance up to the subjectwill be described with reference to FIG. 7. As shown in a graph Gd ofFIG. 7, the relationship between the defocus amount and the differenceof the barycentric position in a pair of image columns is in aproportionate relation. When this relationship is expressed by amathematical expression by setting the defocus amount to DF (μm) andsetting the difference of the barycentric position to C (μm), thefollowing Expression (1) is obtained.DF=k×C  (1)

Here, the coefficient k of Expression (1) indicates the slope Gk (shownin a dashed line) regarding the graph Gd of FIG. 7, and can be acquiredin advance by a factory test and the like.

From the above, the distance calculation section 121 calculates thedifference (phase difference) of the barycentric position with respectto A-series data and B-series data obtained from the split G pixel, andthen calculates the defocus amount using the above Expression (1).Meanwhile, the above-mentioned defocus amount is uniquely determined bya design value of the lens 21.

Next, a description will be made of a calculation formula forcalculating the distance x up to the subject from the lens 21 using thedefocus amount DF calculated in Expression (1). When the defocus amountis set to x′ and the focal distance of the lens 21 is set to f, thefollowing Expression (2) is formed as Newton's equation. The distance xup to the subject can be calculated by substituting values forExpression (2).xx′=f ²  (2)

In step S8, the display control section 123 performs a flash reachregion display process. In the flash reach region display process,determination of the flash reach region is performed, and informationindicating the flash reach region is displayed superimposed on thethrough-the-lens image. The details of the flash reach region displayprocess will be described later with reference to a flow diagram of FIG.10. When it is determined in step S6 that the flash emission is notused, the processes of steps S7 and S8 are skipped.

In step S9, the CPU 31 performs photographing of the still image inaccordance with the operation of the shutter button 23 by a user. Whenthe flash emission is used, the CPU 31 controls the flash controlsection 61, and emits the flash 22 in time with the photographingtiming.

In step S10, the CPU 31 stores a photographing result in step S9 in thestorage medium 40, and terminates a series of processing.

Next, the flash information acquisition process performed in step S2 ofFIG. 6 will be described with reference to a flow diagram of FIG. 8.

In step S21, the flash information acquisition section 122 determineswhether the flash to be used is an external flash. In the case of thisexample, since the flash of the photographing apparatus 1 is the flash22 which is a built-in flash, it is determined that the flash is not anexternal flash.

When it is determined in step S21 that the flash is not an externalflash, in step S22, the flash information acquisition section 122acquires the guide number of the flash 22 by readout from the EEPROM 34.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S21 that the flash tobe used is an external flash connected to a connection terminal (notshown), in step S23, the flash information acquisition section 122acquires the guide number of the external flash.

After the guide number of the flash 22 which is a built-in flash isacquired in step S22, or after the guide number of the external flash isacquired in step S23, the process returns to step S2 of FIG. 6, and theprocess subsequent thereto is performed. Flash information including theguide number acquired by the flash information acquisition section 122is supplied to the display control section 123.

Next, the photographing mode selection process performed in step S3 ofFIG. 6 will be described with reference to a flow diagram of FIG. 9.

Here, a plurality of photographing modes is prepared in thephotographing apparatus 1. A program mode such as a shutter speedpriority AE mode and an aperture priority AE mode, and a manual mode areprepared in the photographing mode, in addition to the auto mode.

The auto mode is a mode in which the shutter speed, the aperture value,the ISO speed, the use or disuse of flash emission, and the AF regionare selected automatically (without a user's operation) by thephotographing apparatus 1 on the basis of the photometric result. Theshutter speed priority AE mode is a mode in which the shutter speed isselected arbitrarily by a user, and accordingly, the aperture value andthe ISO speed are automatically set by the photographing apparatus 1.The aperture priority AE mode is a mode in which the aperture value isselected arbitrarily by a user, and accordingly, the shutter speed andthe ISO speed are automatically set by the photographing apparatus 1. Inthe program mode including the shutter speed priority AE mode and theaperture priority AE mode, the use or disuse of flash emission isselected arbitrarily by a user. The manual mode is a mode in which allthe photographing parameters of the shutter speed, the aperture value,the ISO speed, and the use or disuse of flash emission are selectedarbitrarily by a user.

A user displays the settings screen on the LCD 24, and selects a properphotographing mode from these photographing modes in accordance with thephotographing conditions. In addition, when the photographing mode otherthan the auto mode is selected, a user selects whether to emit the flash22 using the settings screen.

In step S31, the CPU 31 determines whether the photographing modeselected by a user is an auto mode.

When it is determined in step S31 that the photographing mode is an automode, in step S32, the CPU 31 sets so as to automatically determine theshutter speed, the aperture value, the ISO speed, and the use or disuseof emission of the flash 22, respectively. When such setting isperformed, the CPU 31 determines each of the photographing parameters ofthe shutter speed, the aperture value, the ISO speed, and the use ordisuse of flash emission, respectively, on the basis of the photometricresult of step S5. As mentioned above, when the auto mode is set as aphotographing mode and the luminance of the field obtained as aphotometric result is darker than the threshold, it is determined thatthe flash emission is used.

In step S33, the CPU 31 determines an AF region. Here, the determined AFregion is designated in the camera signal processing section 62 in stepS4.

On the other hand, when it is determined in step S31 that thephotographing mode is not an auto mode, in step S34, the CPU 31determines whether the photographing mode is a program mode.

When it is determined in step S34 that the photographing mode is aprogram mode, in step S35, the CPU 31 sets so as to automaticallydetermine a predetermined photographing parameter out of the shutterspeed, the aperture value, and the ISO speed, respectively. That is,when the shutter speed priority AE mode is selected, the CPU 31 sets theshutter speed in accordance with the user's operation, and sets theaperture value and the ISO speed on the basis of the photometric resultof step S5. On the other hand, when the aperture priority AE mode isselected, the CPU 31 sets the aperture value in accordance with theuser's operation, and set the shutter speed and the ISO speed on thebasis of the photometric result of step S5.

In step S36, the CPU 31 set the use or disuse of the emission of theflash 22 in accordance with the user's operation.

When it is determined in step S34 that the photographing mode is not aprogram mode but a manual mode, in step S37, the CPU 31 sets the shutterspeed, the aperture value, the ISO speed, and the use or disuse of theemission of the flash 22 in accordance with the user's operation.

After the AF region is determined in step S33, and after the use ordisuse of the emission of the flash 22 is set in step S36 or each of thephotographing parameters is set in step S37, the process returns to stepS3 of FIG. 6, and the process subsequent thereto is performed.

Next, the flash reach region display process performed in step S8 ofFIG. 6 will be described with reference to a flow diagram of FIG. 10.

In step S41, the display control section 123 calculates a reach distanceL of the flash light on the basis of the guide number acquired by theflash information acquisition section 122, and the aperture value andthe ISO speed determined based on the photometric result. The reachdistance L of the flash light is expressed by the following Expression(3).L=(guide number)÷(aperture value)×√(ISO speed÷100)  (3)

In step S42, the display control section 123 compares the reach distanceL of the flash light and the distance x up to each subject calculated instep S7, and specifies the subject which the flash light reaches.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the reach distance L of theflash light. The horizontal axis of FIG. 11 indicates a distance, andthe vertical axis thereof indicates an amount of light (amount of lightreceived in the imaging device 36) of the flash light. The straight lineindicating the amount of light of the flash light in each distance isspecified by the guide number of the flash 22, the aperture value, andthe ISO speed.

For example, when the guide number of the flash 22 is 40, and theaperture value is F4.0, and the ISO speed is 100, the display controlsection 123 calculates the reach distance of the flash light as adistance of 10 m shown by the dashed line L1, from Expression (3). Inthis case, the display control section 123 determines which the flashlight reaches the subject located closer than a distance of 10 m. Whenthe aperture value and the ISO speed are fixed, the subject locatedcloser than a distance of 10 m is brightly photographed, and the subjectlocated farther than a distance of 10 m is darkly photographed.

The distance shown by the dashed line L2 is a distance at which theamount of light of the flash light is reduced by half compared to theamount of light in a position 10 m away. That is, when the subject islocated at the distance shown by the dashed line L2 and taking aphotograph through a correct exposure is attempted, it is necessary tocapture an amount of light twice the amount of light when the subjectlocated at a distance of 10 m is photographed. The distance shown by thedashed line L2 can be calculated as a distance of 14.3 m from Expression(3) by using an aperture value of F2.8 capable of capturing the amountof light two times an aperture value of F4.0. Meanwhile, in the case ofthis example, the distance of which the amount of light is reduced tozero is calculated as a distance of 18.6 m.

Returning to the description of FIG. 10, in step S43, the displaycontrol section 123 displays information indicating the flash reachregion of each region of the through-the-lens image. After theinformation indicating the flash reach region is displayed, the processreturns to step S8 of FIG. 6, and the process subsequent thereto isperformed.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of the display of the LCD24.

In the example of FIG. 12, an image in which one person is present inthe substantially center with a landscape as a background is displayedon the LCD 24 as a through-the-lens image. The display control section123 displays the flash reach region of the through-the-lens image inwhich the field is captured, by lighting or blinking in a predeterminedcolor. In the example of FIG. 12, regions A1 which are white regionssurrounded by the thick-line frames are the flash reach region, and eachof the regions A1 is displayed by lighting or blinking in apredetermined color, so that the flash reach region is presented to auser.

Thereby, the user can determine that which subject the flash lightreaches before taking a photograph. In addition, when the userdetermines which the flash light does not reach a subject which the userdesires to capture in the presently set state, the user changes thesetting of the photographing parameters by opening the aperture orraising the ISO speed, thereby allowing the image as intended to bephotographed. When the setting of the photographing parameters ischanged, the display control section 123 switches the display of theflash reach region by following the change of the setting by the user.

It is also possible to easily display information indicating that whichsubject the flash light reaches, in the photographing apparatus 1,without performing pre-emission.

It is also possible to display each region other than the flash reachregion which is a region of the subject capable of being photographedthrough a correct exposure in accordance with the amount of lightreaching the subject of the region.

Regions A2 indicated by the diagonal lines in FIG. 12 are regions otherthan the flash reach region, but indicate regions of the subject whichthe flash light reaches. In the example described with reference to FIG.11, the region of the subject located farther than a distance of 10 mand closer than a distance of 18.6 m of which the amount of light isreduced to zero is a region other than the flash reach region, butbecomes a region of the subject which the flash light reaches.

In this case, the display control section 123 displays the region A2 bylighting or blinking, in a step-by-step manner in accordance with theamount of light reaching the subject, for example, in a color lighterthan the color of the region A1 indicating the flash reach region, ordisplays the region A2 by lighting or blinking in a color different fromthe color of the region A1. In the case where the region is displayed ina color lighter than the color of the region A1, the display controlsection 123 displays a region of the subject located at a distance ofwhich the amount of light reaching the subject is reduced to ½, at adensity of 50%, when the density of the color of the region A1 is set to100%. In addition, the display control section 123 displays a region ofthe subject located at a distance of which the amount of light reachingthe subject is reduced to ¼, at a density of 25%.

Thereby, the user can intuitively ascertain the amount of light of theflash light reaching each subject included in the field.

Modified Example

Advice about the setting change of the photographing parameters may bedisplayed without displaying information indicating the flash reachregion or information indicating the amount of light reaching thesubject.

In this case, for example, when the area of the flash reach region issmaller than the threshold with respect to the area of the entire field,the display control section 123 displays a message, showing the openingof the aperture or the raising of the ISO speed to a user, on the LCD24. It is possible to prevent a user from photographing an overall darkimage by confirming the message and changing the photographingparameters.

It is, of course, possible to display advice about the setting change ofthe photographing parameters along with information indicating the flashreach region or information indicating the amount of light reaching thesubject.

In addition, a gain of image data of regions other than the flash reachregion is made higher than that of image data of the flash reach region,or denoising is intensively performed, so that the contents of the imageprocessing may be switched in accordance with the amount of light. Inthis case, the CPU 31 determines the amount of light of the flash lightreaching the subject which is photographed in each region of an imagecaptured by the imaging device 36, and controls the preprocessingsection 37 or the camera DSP section 38 so that the image processingsuch as gain control or denoising is performed in accordance with theamount of light.

Although information indicating the flash reach region is displayed,information indicating a region of the subject which the flash lightdoes not reach may be displayed.

Second Embodiment External Configuration of Photographing Apparatus

As mentioned above, although the case in which the photographingapparatus 1 is a compact-type digital still camera has been described,the above-mentioned technique can also be applied to a single-lensreflex type digital still camera.

FIGS. 13 and 14 are diagrams illustrating an example of the appearanceof the single-lens reflex type photographing apparatus 1. FIGS. 13 and14 show a front view and a rear view, respectively. In addition, FIG. 15is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating the photographingapparatus 1.

The photographing apparatus 1 includes a camera body 211 and a lens 221removably mounted on the camera body 211 as an interchangeable lens. InFIG. 13, amount portion 222 on which the lens 221 is mounted atapproximately the center is provided at the front of the camera body211. In addition, a lens interchanging button 223 is provided at theright side of the mount portion 222, and a grip portion 224 that a usercan reliably grip with one hand (or both hands) is provided at the frontleft end (left side in the X direction).

The lens 221 functions as a lens window that captures light (lightimage) from a subject, and functions as a photographing optical systemfor leading the subject light to an imaging device 252 disposed in theinside of the camera body 211. The lens 221 can be removed from thecamera body 211 by pushing down the lens interchanging button 223.

The lens 221 includes a lens group composed of a plurality of lensesserially disposed along the optical axis LT (FIG. 15). A focus lens foran adjustment of the focus and a zoom lens for a change in themagnification are included in the lens group, and each of lenses isdriven in the direction of the optical axis LT, so that the change inthe magnification or the adjustment of the focus is performed. Inaddition, an operation ring rotatable along the outer circumferentialsurface of the lens barrel of the lens 221 is included in the rightplace on the outer circumference of the lens barrel thereof. Theabove-mentioned zoom lens moves in the direction of the optical axis inaccordance with the rotational direction of the operation ring and theamount of rotation, by the manual operation or the automatic operation,and is set to the zoom magnification (photographing magnification) inaccordance with the position of the movement destination.

In addition, the camera body 211 is provided with a mode setting dial226 disposed at the front upper-left portion (upper-left side in the Ydirection), a control value setting dial 229 disposed at the frontupper-right portion, and a shutter button 225 disposed on the uppersurface of the grip portion 224. Meanwhile, the grip portion 224 may beprovided with a grip sensor for detecting whether a user grips the gripportion 224.

Similarly to the shutter button 23 of FIG. 1, the shutter button 225 isa push-down switch that can be halfway pressed so as to be in the“half-pressed state” and can be further pressed so as to be in the“fully-pressed state”.

The mode setting dial 226 and the control value setting dial 229 aremade of an approximately disk-shaped member rotatable in the planeapproximately parallel to the upper surface of the camera body 211. Themode setting dial 226 is used in selecting the photographing mode suchas the auto mode and the program mode mentioned above. On the otherhand, the control value setting dial 229 is to set control values forvarious types of functions added to the photographing apparatus 1.

A flash portion 227 corresponds to the flash 22 of FIG. 1, and isconfigured as a pop-up type built-in flash. When an external flash isinstalled on the camera body 211, a connection terminal portion 228 isused.

An LCD 241 (FIG. 14) provided at the rear side of the camera body 211corresponds to the LCD 24 of FIG. 2. The LCD 241 includes a color liquidcrystal panel capable of displaying an image, and performs the displayof the through-the-lens image which is an image of the field captured bythe imaging device 252 (FIG. 15), the reproduction display of therecorded image, and the like. In addition, the LCD 241 displays thesettings screen of functions or modes added to the photographingapparatus 1. Meanwhile, an organic EL or a plasma display device may beused in place of the LCD 241. The selection operation or thedetermination operation for various types of items displayed on the LCD241 is performed using a cross key 243 and a push button 244 provided atthe right side of the LCD 241.

A setting button group 242 provided the left side of the LCD 241 is abutton that performs an operation for various types of functions addedto the photographing apparatus 1. The setting button group 242 includesa selection settlement switch for settle the contents selected in themenu screen displayed on the LCD 241, a selection cancel switch, a menudisplay switch that switches the contents of the menu screen, a displayon/off switch, and the like.

A main switch 245 is a two-contact slide switch sliding from side toside. When the main switch is set to the left, the power source of thephotographing apparatus 1 is turned on, and when it is set to the right,the power source thereof is turned off.

An eye cup 246 is a U-shaped light-shielding member, having alight-shielding property, for suppressing infiltration of outside lightinto an EVF 247.

An exposure correction button 248 is a button for manually adjusting anexposure value (an aperture value or a shutter speed). An AE lock button249 is a button for fixing an exposure.

[Internal Configuration of Photographing Apparatus]

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view illustrating thephotographing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 15, the imaging device 252and the like are included in the inside of the camera body 211.

The imaging device 252 corresponds to the imaging device 36 provided inthe photographing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1, and has the same configurationas that shown in FIG. 4. That is, the imaging device 252 is also animaging device which is composed of a normal pixel and a phasedifference pixel for detecting the phase difference by pupil-splittingsubject light and has a function of detecting the phase difference onthe device.

A shutter unit 251 is disposed ahead of the imaging device 252. Theshutter unit 251 is configured as a mechanical focal plane shutter forperforming a light path opening operation of subject light facing theimaging device 252 and alight path blocking operation. Meanwhile, theshutter unit 251 can be omitted when the imaging device 252 is animaging device having a function of a fully electronic shutter.

The EVF 247 includes a liquid crystal panel 253 and an ocular lens 254.The liquid crystal panel 253 is configured as, for example, a colorliquid crystal panel capable of displaying an image, and can display animage captured by the imaging device 252. The ocular lens 254 leads asubject image displayed on the liquid crystal panel 253 to the outsideof the EVF 247. With such a configuration of the EVF 247, a user canhave visual contact with the reproduction display of thethrough-the-lens image of the imaging device 252 and the photographedimage.

Next, the electrical configuration of the camera body 211 will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 16.

In addition to the shutter unit 251 and the imaging device 252, thecamera body 211 is provided with an imaging device drive mechanism 271,an AFE 272, an image processing section 273, a phase difference AFcalculation section 274, an image memory 275, an electric cell 276, anda power source control section 277. In addition, the camera body 211 isprovided with a main control section 281, an operation section 282, alens control section 283, a flash control section 284, a VRAM 285 (285 aand 285 b), a card I/F 286, a memory card 287, and a communication I/F288.

The imaging device 252 performs the photoelectric conversion of lightcaptured by the lens 221, and outputs an image signal to the AFE 272. Inaddition, the imaging device 252 also functions as a phase differencesensor, and outputs a phase difference signal, indicating the phasedifference of light from the each subject included in the field, to theAFE 272.

The AFE 272 provides a timing pulse that causes the imaging device 252to perform a predetermined operation, performs predetermined signalprocessing on an image signal output from the imaging device 252, andconverts the image signal into a digital signal to output it to theimage processing section 273. The AFE (analog front end) 272 is composedof a timing control section 301, a signal processing section 302, and anA/D conversion section 303.

The timing control section 301 generates a predetermined timing pulse onthe basis of a reference clock output from the main control section 281to output the timing pulse to the imaging device 252, and controls animaging operation of the imaging device 252. A vertical scanning pulseφVn, a horizontal scanning pulse φVm, a reset signal φVr, and the likeare included in the timing pulse. In addition, the timing controlsection 301 outputs a predetermined timing pulse to the signalprocessing section 302 and the A/D conversion section 303, respectively,to control the operations of the signal processing section 302 and theA/D conversion section 303.

The signal processing section 302 performs predetermined analog signalprocessing on an analog image signal and a phase difference signaloutput from the imaging device 252. The signal processing section 302includes a CDS circuit, an AGC circuit, a clamping circuit, and thelike.

The A/D conversion section 303 converts analog image signals of R, G,and B output from the signal processing section 302 into digital imagesignals constituted by a plurality of bits (for example, 12 bits) on thebasis of the timing pulse output from the timing control section 301. Inaddition, the A/D conversion section 303 performs A/D conversion of thephase difference signal output from the phase difference pixel, andoutputs phase difference information to a black level correction section311.

The image processing section 273 performs predetermined signalprocessing on image data output from the AFE 272 to generate image data.The image processing section 273 is composed of the black levelcorrection section 311, a WB processing section 312, and a gammacorrection processing section 313. Meanwhile, image data incorporatedinto the image processing section 273 are once written in the imagememory 275 in synchronization with readout of the imaging device 252,and then accesses the image data written in the image memory 275, andprocessing is performed in each of the blocks of the image processingsection 273.

The black level correction section 311 corrects a black level of adigital image signal obtained by A/D conversion of the A/D conversionsection 303 and a black level of phase difference information to areference black level, and outputs the resultant. The phase differenceinformation and the image signal after the black level correction of theblack level correction section 311 are supplied to the WB processingsection 312 and the phase difference AF calculation section 274. Inaddition, the phase difference information is supplied to the maincontrol section 281 through a path which is not shown.

The WB processing section 312 performs level conversion (white balance(WB) adjustment) of the digital signals of each color component of R, G,and B, on the basis of a white reference depending on the light source.That is, the WB processing section 312 specifies the portion estimatedto be originally white from luminance or chroma data and the like in thephotographing subject, on the basis of WB adjustment data given from themain control section 281, calculates the average of color components ofR, G, and B of the portion, and the G/R ratio and the G/B ratio, andlevel-corrects them as a correction gain of R and B.

The gamma correction processing section 313 corrects the grayscalecharacteristics of the WB adjusted image data. Specifically, the gammacorrection processing section 313 nonlinearly converts a level of imagedata using a gamma correction table which is previously set for eachcolor component and performs offset adjustment.

The phase difference AF calculation section 274 calculates a focusingevaluation value of a selected AF point on the basis of the black levelcorrected phase difference information supplied from the black levelcorrection section 311. The focusing evaluation value indicates, forexample, AF deviation within an AF region which is set to a portion of(for example, central portion) the field. The focusing evaluation valuecalculated in the phase difference AF calculation section 274 issupplied to the main control section 281 through a path which is notshown.

The image memory 275 temporarily stores image data output from the imageprocessing section 273, at the time of taking a photograph. The imagememory 275 is a memory used as a working region in which predeterminedprocessing is performed on the stored image data by the main controlsection 281. In addition, the image memory 275 temporarily stores imagedata read out from the memory card 287, at the time of reproduction.

The power source control section 277 is composed of, for example, aconstant voltage circuit and the like, and generates a voltage fordriving the entire photographing apparatus 1 of the control section suchas the main control section 281, the imaging device 252, other varioustypes of drive sections, and the like. Meanwhile, the control ofelectric conduction to the imaging device 252 is performed by a controlsignal supplied from the main control section 281 to the power sourcecontrol section 277. The electric cell 276 includes a primary cell suchas an alkaline dry cell, or a secondary cell such as a nickel-metalhydride battery, and is a power source that supplies power to the entirephotographing apparatus 1.

The main control section 281 is composed of, for example, amicrocomputer in which storage sections such as ROM for storing acontrol program or RAM for temporarily storing data is embedded, andcontrols operations of each section of the photographing apparatus 1.For example, the main control section 281 executes detection processingof a focusing position of the focus lens by the phase difference AF, onthe basis of the focusing evaluation value calculated by the phasedifference AF calculation section 274 and position information of thefocus lens included in the lens 221 detected by the lens control section283.

In the main control section 281, each of the function sections describedwith reference to FIG. 5 is realized by execution of a predeterminedprogram. The distance calculation section 121 realized in the maincontrol section 281 calculates the distance up to the subject on thebasis of the phase difference information supplied from the black levelcorrection section 311. In addition, the flash information acquisitionsection 122 acquire the guide number of the flash portion 227 as abuilt-in flash or the guide number of the external flash connected tothe connection terminal portion 228. The display control section 123performs a display of the flash reach region as mentioned above, usingthe distance up to the subject calculated by the distance calculationsection 121 and the guide number acquired by the flash informationacquisition section 122.

The operation section 282 includes the shutter button 225, the modesetting dial 226, the control value setting dial 229, the setting buttongroup 242, the cross key 243, the push button 244, the main switch 245,and the like, and inputs operation information to the main controlsection 281.

The lens control section 283 generates a signal for driving the apertureof the lens 221 or a signal for driving the focus, on the basis of acontrol signal given from the main control section 281, and outputs thesignal to the lens 221.

The flash control section 284 corresponds to the flash control section61 of FIG. 3, and controls the emission amount of the external flash,connected to the flash portion 227 or the connection terminal portion228, to the emission amount set by the main control section 281, in theflash photographing mode. The flash control section 284 emits the flashin accordance with photographing.

The VRAMs 285 a and 285 b have a storage capacity of the image signalcorresponding to the number of pixels of the EVF 247 and the LCD 241.The VRAMs 285 a and 285 b are buffer memories between the main controlsection 281 and the EVF 247, and between the main control section 281and the LCD 241.

The card I/F 286 is an interface in which signals can be transmitted andreceived between the memory card 287 and the main control section 281.

The memory card 287 is a storage medium that saves image data generatedby the main control section 281.

The communication I/F 288 is an interface in which image data and thelike can be transmitted to a personal computer or other externaldevices.

In the photographing apparatus 1 having such a configuration, flashreach region display processing similar to the processing described withreference to FIG. 6 is performed, and information indicating the flashreach region is displayed on the LCD 241.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 17 is another longitudinal cross-sectional view of the single-lensreflex type photographing apparatus 1. The same signs and numerals areassigned to the same components as those shown in FIG. 15 of thecomponents shown in FIG. 17. The repeated description will beappropriately omitted. Meanwhile, the external configuration of thephotographing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 17 is the same as those shown inFIGS. 13 and 14.

The photographing apparatus 1 of FIG. 17 is a photographing apparatusincluding an imaging device 403 for performing the capturing of athrough-the-lens image and the phase difference detection, and animaging device 402 for photographing a still image. The imaging devices402 and 403 and a transmission mirror 401 are provided in the inside ofthe camera body 211.

The transmission mirror 401 is formed of a transmission and reflectionmember that reflects subject light toward the imaging device 403provided on the upper portion of the camera body 211 and transmits thesubject light toward the imaging device 402, and is fixed to the camerabody 211. The ratio of transmission to reflection is set to 5:5, but canbe arbitrarily changed depending on the characteristics of each imagingdevice. That is, in the subject light passing through the lens 221, someare transmitted through the transmission mirror 401 to be incident onthe imaging device 402, and some are reflected by the transmissionmirror 401 to be incident on the imaging device 403.

The imaging device 402 receives the subject light transmitted throughthe transmission mirror 401. As the imaging device 402, a CMOS typeimaging device of a Bayer array is used in which a plurality of pixelshaving, for example, a photodiode is disposed two-dimensionally in amatrix shape, and color filters of, for example, R (red), G (green), andB (blue) having different spectral characteristics are respectivelyarranged on the light sensing surface of each pixel at a ratio of 1:2:1.The imaging device 402 generates analog electrical signal (image signal)of each color component of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) for an lightimage of the subject captured through the lens 221, and outputs theelectrical signal as an image signal of each color of R, G, and B.

The imaging device 403 is disposed on the plane (XZ plane) perpendicularto the Y-axis, and receives subject light reflected by the transmissionmirror 401. The imaging device 403 corresponds to the imaging device 36provided in the photographing apparatus 1 of FIG. 1, and has the sameconfiguration as that shown in FIG. 4. That is, the imaging device 403is an imaging device which is composed of a normal pixel and a phasedifference pixel for detecting the phase difference by pupil-splittingsubject light and has a function of detecting the phase difference onthe device.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the electrical configuration of thephotographing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 17. The same signs and numeralsare assigned to the same components as those shown in FIG. 16 of thecomponents shown in FIG. 18. The repeated description will beappropriately omitted.

The configuration of the photographing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 18 isdifferent from the configuration shown in FIG. 16 in that thetransmission mirror 401 is provided at the front stage of the shutterunit 251, the imaging device 402 is provided in place of the imagingdevice 252 shown in FIG. 16, and the imaging device 403 is furtheradded.

The AFE 272 provides a timing pulse that causes the imaging devices 402and 403 to perform a predetermined operation, performs predeterminedsignal processing on an image signal output from the imaging devices 402and 403, and converts the image signal into a digital signal to outputit to the image processing section 273. The AFE 272 is composed of thetiming control section 301, the signal processing section 302, and theA/D conversion section 303.

The timing control section 301 generates a predetermined timing pulse onthe basis of a reference clock output from the main control section 281to output the timing pulse to the imaging devices 402 and 403, andcontrols imaging operations of the imaging devices 402 and 403. Inaddition, the timing control section 301 outputs a predetermined timingpulse to the signal processing section 302 and the A/D conversionsection 303, respectively, to control the operations of the signalprocessing section 302 and the A/D conversion section 303.

The signal processing section 302 performs predetermined analog signalprocessing on an analog image signal and a phase difference signaloutput from the imaging devices 402 and 403. The signal processingsection 302 includes a CDS circuit, an AGC circuit, a clamping circuit,and the like. The image signal is supplied from the imaging device 402,and the image signal and the phase difference signal are supplied fromthe imaging device 403.

The A/D conversion section 303 converts analog image signals of R, G,and B output from the signal processing section 302 into digital imagesignals constituted by a plurality of bits (for example, 12 bits) on thebasis of the timing pulse output from the timing control section 301. Inaddition, the A/D conversion section 303 performs A/D conversion of thephase difference signal output from the phase difference pixel, andoutputs phase difference information to the black level correctionsection 311.

In the photographing apparatus 1 having such a configuration, flashreach region display processing similar to the processing described withreference to FIG. 6 is performed, and information indicating the flashreach region is displayed on the LCD 241.

As described above, the above-mentioned technique can also be applied toa single-lens reflex type digital still camera. Meanwhile, as a moduleused in detecting the phase difference, an existing phase difference AFmodule can also be used without using the imaging device, as shown inFIG. 4, in which a pixel functioning as a phase difference sensor isdisposed at each position. The distance up to each subject is calculatedon the basis of the phase difference of light from each subject detectedin the phase difference AF module, and the display of the flash reachregion is performed.

Configuration Example of Computer

A series of processing mentioned above can be executed by hardware, andcan also be executed by software. When a series of processing isexecuted by software, a program constituting the software is installedin a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware, or a general-purposepersonal computer and the like, from a program storage medium.

FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example ofhardware of a computer executing a series of processing mentioned abovethrough a program.

A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 501, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 502, and aRAM (Random Access Memory) 503 are connected to each other through a bus504.

An input and output interface 505 is further connected to the bus 504.An input section 506 such as a keyboard and a mouse and an outputsection 507 such as a display and a speaker are connected to the inputand output interface 505. In addition, a storage section 508 such as ahard disk or a nonvolatile memory, a communication section 509 such as anetwork interface, and a drive 510 that drives a removable medium 511are connected to the input and output interface 505.

In the computer having such a configuration, the CPU 501 executes, forexample, a program stored in the storage section 508 by loading theprogram into the RAM 503 through the input and output interface 505 andthe bus 504, so that a series of processing mentioned above isperformed.

A program executed by the CPU 501 is recorded in, for example, theremovable medium 511, or is provided through wired or wirelesstransmission mediums such as local area networks, Internet, and digitalbroadcasting, and is installed in the storage section 508.

Meanwhile, the program executed by the computer may be a program onwhich processing is performed in a time-series manner along theprocedure described in the specification, and may be a program on whichprocessing is performed in parallel, or at a necessary timing when acall is performed.

The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to theabove-mentioned embodiments, but various changes or modifications can bemade without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

It should be noted that the present disclosure can also take thefollowing configurations.

1. A photographing apparatus including:

an imaging section;

a calculation section that calculates a distance up to a subjectincluded in a photographing range of the imaging section; and

a display control section that displays information indicating a regionof the subject that light of a flash reaches, on the basis of thedistance up to the subject and the emission amount of the flash.

2. The photographing apparatus according to the item 1, wherein thedisplay control section displays information indicating the region ofthe subject which the flash light reaches in multi-stages, in accordancewith the amount of light reaching the subject.

3. The photographing apparatus according to the item 1, wherein thedisplay control section displays information indicating the region ofthe subject which the flash light reaches so as to be superimposed on animage captured by the imaging section.

4. The photographing apparatus according to the item 1, furtherincluding an image processing section that performs image processing ofthe image captured by the imaging section, for each region, inaccordance with the amount of light of the flash reaching the subjectphotographed in each region of the image.

5. The photographing apparatus according to the item 1, wherein theimaging section includes a pixel that detects a phase difference oflight from the subject, and

the calculation section calculates the distance up to the subject on thebasis of a signal which is output by the pixel of the imaging section.

6. The photographing apparatus according to the item 1, furtherincluding an acquisition section that acquires information indicatingthe emission amount from the flash externally mounted on thephotographing apparatus or the flash built in the photographingapparatus,

wherein the display control section displays information indicating theregion of the subject which the flash light reaches, on the basis of thedistance up to the subject calculated by the calculation section and theemission amount of the flash indicated by information which is acquiredby the acquisition section.

7. A display control method including:

capturing an image by an imaging section;

calculating a distance up to a subject included in a photographing rangeof the imaging section; and

displaying information indicating a region of the subject that light ofa flash reaches, in multi-stages in accordance with the amount of lightreaching the subject, on the basis of the distance up to the subject andthe emission amount of the flash.

8. A program causing a computer to execute processing including:

capturing an image by an imaging section;

calculating a distance up to a subject included in a photographing rangeof the imaging section; and

displaying information indicating a region of the subject that light ofa flash reaches, in multi-stages in accordance with the amount of lightreaching the subject, on the basis of the distance up to the subject andthe emission amount of the flash.

The present disclosure contains subject matter related to that disclosedin Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2011-020712 filed in theJapan Patent Office on Feb. 2, 2011, the entire content of which ishereby incorporated by reference.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a display controlsection configured to control display of image data for an image, theimage data including flash reach information identifying at least oneportion of the image corresponding to at least one region reachable bylight from a flash, wherein the flash reach information identifies theat least one portion of the image based at least partially upon adistance to the at least one region, wherein the display control sectionis configured to control display of the image such that portions of theimage corresponding to regions located at different distances from theapparatus are displayed in a different manner based at least partiallyupon the flash reach information, and wherein the display controlsection is configured to change the flash reach information based upon achange in at least two of the distance, a guide number, an aperturevalue, and an ISO speed.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising: a distance calculation section configured to calculate thedistance to the at least one region.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the display control section calculates the flash reachinformation based upon a comparison between a reach distance of thelight from the flash and the distance between the apparatus and the atleast one region.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the displaycontrol section is configured to calculate a reach distance of lightfrom the flash based upon the guide number, the aperture value, and theISO speed.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display controlsection is configured to control display of the image such that portionsof the image corresponding to regions located at different distancesfrom the apparatus are shown with a different density.
 6. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the flash reach information comprises first flashreach information and second flash reach information, wherein the atleast one portion comprises a first portion of the image correspondingto a first region and a second portion of the image corresponding to asecond region, wherein the first flash reach information identifies thefirst portion of the image and the second flash reach informationidentifies the second portion of the image, and wherein the first flashreach information identifies the first portion of the image in adifferent manner than the second flash reach information identifies thesecond portion of the image.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein theflash reach information identifies a flash reach region, and, when anarea of the flash reach region is smaller than a threshold with respectto an area of an entire field of the image, the display control sectioncontrols a message to be displayed.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe apparatus comprises a camera.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a distance sensor.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein thedistance sensor comprises a phase difference pixel configured to detecta phase difference at least partially by splitting received light. 11.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the imagecorresponding to a first region of the at least one region reachable bylight from the flash is displayed in a different manner from a secondportion of the image corresponding to a second region outside of the atleast one region reachable by light from the flash.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the display control section is configured to change theflash reach information based upon a change in the distance, the guidenumber, the aperture value, and the ISO speed.
 13. A method, comprising:controlling display of image data for an image, the image data includingflash reach information identifying at least one portion of the imagecorresponding to at least one region reachable by light from a flash,wherein the flash reach information identifies the at least one portionof the image based at least partially upon a distance to the at leastone region, wherein display of the image is controlled such thatportions of the image corresponding to regions located at differentdistances from the apparatus are displayed in a different manner basedat least partially upon the flash reach information, and wherein theflash reach information is changed based upon a change in at least twoof the distance, a guide number, an aperture value, and an ISO speed.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: calculating a distanceto the at least one region.
 15. The method of claim 14, furthercomprising: calculating the flash reach information at least partiallybased upon the distance to the at least one region.
 16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising: changing the flash reach information basedupon a change in the distance.
 17. A computer-readable storage mediumcomprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor, perform amethod, comprising: controlling display of image data for an image, theimage data including flash reach information identifying at least oneportion of the image corresponding to at least one region reachable bylight from a flash, wherein the flash reach information identifies theat least one portion of the image based at least partially upon adistance to the at least one region, wherein display of the image iscontrolled such that portions of the image corresponding to regionslocated at different distances from the apparatus are displayed in adifferent manner based at least partially upon the flash reachinformation, and wherein the flash reach information is changed basedupon a change in at least two of the distance, a guide number, anaperture value, and an ISO speed.
 18. The computer-readable storagemedium of claim 17, further comprising instructions, which, whenexecuted, calculate a distance to the at least one region.
 19. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprisinginstructions, which, when executed, calculate the flash reachinformation at least partially based upon the distance to the at leastone region.
 20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17,wherein a first portion of the image corresponding to a first region ofthe at least one region reachable by light from the flash is displayedin a different manner from a second portion of the image correspondingto a second region outside of the at least one region reachable by lightfrom the flash.